Hello all! My name is Matt and I'm new to the forums.

I've been interested in RX-7's for quite a few years now and for some reason managed to do the stupid thing called falling in love with a car thats 20 years old. The FC is a car I hate to love.

So I'm chasing that love, and I've come across this particular car that has seen better days. The advert states...

"RX-7 Mazda 1986 with Rotary Engine - $940

These REAR DRIVE baby's are powered by rotary / wankel engines , and thus are very fast , quiet + smooth . They are among the best cars for competition DRIFTING .Two seater.13b engine.Over 200k KM. The engine is in need of a rebuild,as it may have had the main seal leaked. There is some lower body rust-thru holes on the rocker pannels. Has not been driven for a few years and has sat beside my house for the whole time. Dark red colour. AM FM Cass. Price
flexible, open to offers . Asking $940. Please reply to the email link. Cool car. Thanks. "

Sweet, it's a good thing he told me it was a cool car, that might be the deciding factor on my purchase. Oh and correction, the main seal HAS leaked and the car won't start. Anyway, on to the pictures the guy has sent me. Be prepared for rust shots.








My main concern here is if the frame/chassis itself, judging by the rust spots on the body, which aren't, well, subtle, is going to be beyond repair. I am completely unfamiliar with what spots on the Mazda will be crucial if they get rusted.

My next concern is the availability of replacement parts for the engine and whatever else is bound to be destroyed. I have no problem with doing labour, I just have a problem with spending a fortune to get a junker on the road.

I guess the real question then, is it worth it? And would you do it? I am totally aware its not going to be an overnight project, maybe not even an overmonth project, or overyear or whatever. I've read the "Removing an RX-7 from improper storage article" and it almost seems like it's going to be a too much of a hassle, though I'd love to find a rat living in my engine (good for internet fandom! lol)

Well thanks so much for any replies. I love rotaries, love the noise and love the performance, but I know almost zero about them and what they fix to cost.

 

Put it this way, if I saw that car in a craigslist add I would hit back and look at the next car. But then again i'm willing to pay a bit more for a nicer car that has been well kept up, some people like big project cars though. For the time and money you're going to be putting into rebuilding the engine and fixing the body you can probably find a pretty nice running FC.

 

Honestly, I just needed someone to tell me that. =)

 

Welcome to the forums.

The most critical spots for rust to develop on RX-7s aren't any different than any other car: the framerails, firewall, suspension towers, etc. Of course, all rust is addressable, but will cost more money as the repair becomes more extensive (duh!). That said, ANY rust is an uphill battle, and while you CAN fix it, properly eliminating rust is a long and expensive process. For that reason alone, I suggest that you save up more and get a rust-free (or damn close) chassis. You'll save in the long run.

Don't worry about replacing the engine. It, too, is expensive, but engines are still available and there are enough reputable builders around that you'll find one near enough to make it make sense for you to go to them. As far as the interior bits, wiring harnesses, etc, these parts can sometimes be bought on eBay or from junkyards. The advantage to buying an FC is that there are a BUNCH in pick-a-part yards.

I wouldn't buy THAT car, but don't let that keep you from finding a nice one. You'll spend a ton to get the car road-worthy, and THEN you'll run into the rust OVER and OVER again. It's better to start with a car to make into a project than the other way around.

Hope this helps.

 

wait for a better car

[/thread]

 

On that car.

What's the switch, next to the security light cover and side view mirror switch? I have a fully loaded '86 GXL, but not that switch, and I ALWAYS see it on cars posted here.

 

wait for a better deal. $1000 for a rusted out rx-7 with a blown motor is a bad deal

 

thats the kind of car people give away becuase they can't sell it for a nickle...

email them back and tell them you can take it away and you wont charge them a towing fee

 

Probably for the fuel pump. My old SE had one, but it was hidden a little better

EDIT: Maybe the fog lights? That switch you're talking about looks like it came from the factory.

 

I thought fog lights too, like on the S5. But the S4's didn't have fog lights I thought?

 

fog lights, could be dealer installed

 

Well again, thanks for your recommendations, and thanks for saving me roughly a thousand dollars, at least!

 

If it were cheaper it would make a good parts car, but I wouldn't bother restoring it.

 

I payed $350 for mine and I DROVE IT HOME. And it wasn't in nearly as bad of condition as that one.

 

yea dont expect to find one for 350 - but i wouldnt have paid more then 450 for that car you posted too much trouble and work ahead of you

 

I paid less than $1000 for my old 86 GXL that was in perfect running condition, and mint body wise



Skip it and you'll find a better car in short time.

 

I wouldn't waste my money on it, cause the cost for fixing would be as much as buying one in better condition. You might have to wait more, but it'll save you the stress of fixing it.

 

I got my first 88 SE for FREE and sent $300 on parts (I do my own work) to pass inspection.

 

Nice car metal... I'm looking at saving for awhile for a running 1988 TII with a good body how much do u think roughly i should save up?

 

If you could, talk him down as low as he can go. If you're good with body work, fixing that rust the frist time around would be easy as pie. But then again, alot of people just don't like the hassle of it. I got a car in similiar condition and ended up rebuilding it from the frame up. My original inention was to just drop a drive train in and call it a day, but on closer inspection the interior was shot to hell because of a fubared sunroof (For complete details on how it turned out, see my project thread, or search for "Cerberus").

Everyone's already said what you "Should" do, and I agree with them. However for those that would want to take on a similiar project look at what you'd have to get yourself into: You'd have to strip the car to inspect it. Eliminate all rust. In this cars case you'll have to cut out part of the metal and weld in new pieces right off the bat. Fill, Primer, and paint. New bushings (even though Everyone should replace those old ones)... and that's just the beginning./my2cent

 

Dont touch it with, even with a 20 foot pole.

Rust is like a cancer, very hard to get rid of.

 

There is no "main seal". Might be the engine, but probably some bad component. But a blown seal won't keep the car from starting. Maybe he had a blown coolant seal and it overheated so bad that the engine welded together/etc. and won't even crank, but I doubt it (will it crank?). With 200km on it, the engine should still be good unless he overheated it or ran it without any oil. But maybe it's just a case of a dumb owner thinking the problem is worse than it is. Though you could find other problems even if you get the engine to start.

The rust OTOH, will be a royal PITA to fix. Expensive too. Your best bet would be to remove it, apply screens, bondo, sand and cover with flat black. And even that will be a ton of work. A body shop might charge you more than the price of a nice RX-7 to match it to stock color.

There are some buyer's guides in the FAQ to help you find a nice RX-7. Expect to pay $3000-$4500, where the $3000 one needs a little work. $500-$1500 is the typical price of a "project car". Sometimes you get a deal, but more often you spend a fortune fixing it and/or on gasoline from its poor mileage. Those are US dollars, plus prices might be different in your particular region.

 

i'm 6k into a car i paid 1800 for if thats any indication of your future

 

I sold my '89 GXL w/ Turbo II drivetrain sans motor + coilover suspension for 700....definately wait...2nd gens re actually becoming more available by the day...smogging and such puts 'em on the market faster than most cars.

That rust could go a lot further than the eye can see....sure there may be plenty of spare parts at the junk yard, but its always better to start with a solid car...not a rust bucket.

 

Yup...spend the $$ on the right car.